See the video below for a well known dance done in pointe shoes. The variation is the Sugar Plum Fairy variation from the Nutcracker.
I have been doing Pointe for about 5 years now, and I will not be the first to say that this is a form of dance that often comes with a price. This "price" can be anything from blisters, callouses, bloody toes, broken ankles, torn off toenails, and other horrible foot malfunctions. Because there are so many things to be careful of, there are a few preventative measures dancers take before a difficult period of dancing on pointe.
First off, Toe pads are often worn inside of pointe shoes to add a layer of cushion to the toes, as they are often being jammed into the front of the shoe and bare the weight of the body. Secondly, toe tape is used. Wrapping any sort of medical tape around the toes before dancing in Pointe shoes has been known to prevent blisters. Toe Tape is therefore very important, because one bad blister can make Pointe an impossible feat. Third, Dancers will make sure there ankles are 100% warmed up before doing any exercises on pointe. This is an injury-prevention method that dancers always stick to.
To help illustrate just how demanding pointe is, the general minimum age requirement for dancers to start Pointe is 12. It is always reccomended that all the bones in the body be done growing, so as to help eliminate future injury. When a dancer is finally deemed eligible to participate in Pointe, a shoe fitting must be scheduled. During this fitting, a dancer may end up trying anywhere from 5 to 25 different pairs of shoes. Because there are so many brands, widths, and strengths of pointe shoes, finding the right one is often tedious. Not only do they have to fit correctly, they have to ensure minimal injury.
First time pointe dancers are easily discouraged. Despite having the correct shoes, toe tape, and toe pads, the first few experiences on pointe always result in blisters, bloody toes, and swollen feet and ankles. Speaking from experience, the first several pointe classes are brutal.
It can take years to develop strength in pointe shoes, and even more time to master the shoes enough to look graceful and artistic while in them. As a dancer advances in pointe technique, the steps get harder and the pressure to aim higher begins to weigh in. For example, as I enter my 5th year of pointe, it is not longer acceptable to simply be able to do one turn on pointe shoes. Only double and triple turns are to be aimed for now.
To an outsider, Pointe may seem like a simple and graceful extension of ballet. However, dancers know that underneath those shoes lie years of training, blisters, and broken toenails.